During a presentation at the Morinville Rendez-Vous Centre Wednesday afternoon, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Maureen Kubinec said she has been advocating for the province to do something to make the intersection safer than it presently is.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that we will know something before too long,” she said of the upcoming meeting, adding the proposed overpass at Highway 2 and Cardiff Road was taken off the government’s three-year plan as a result of the province’s recently-passed tough budget. “It is a big concern for our Morinville and area community. I’ve had a couple meetings with the minister and now Mayor Krauskopf is coming in next week. I’ve really pushed home the fact we’ve got to make it safe. There’s just too many accidents there and we need a temporary safe solution.”

Just what that solution would look like, Kubinec could not say. The MLA said she has received several suggestions from constituants. “I’ve received a lot of suggestions on how people think it could be temporarily improved, and I forwarded everyone of them on,” she said.

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The interchange, announced by Kubinec’s predecessor, Ken Kowalski, in the summer of 2011, was to begin construction in the spring of 2012; however, problems acquiring the two sections of land preventing the project’s commencement. Kubinec was not able to say where those land negotiations are at the present time.

Editor’s Note: On May 23, the meeting with Minister McIver was pushed up a day to May 28. We will bring details on the meeting as they become available.